Chike Aguh

Meet Chike

Chike Aguh is a Senior Advisor at McChrystal Group. Most recently, Chike was appointed by President Biden on day one of his administration to serve as Chief Innovation Officer at the US Department of Labor, the first black person to do so. Reporting to Deputy Secretary Julie Su, he led efforts to use data, emerging technologies, and innovative practices to advance and protect American workers.

These efforts included creating the department’s first enterprise data strategy, serving a pivotal role in the $2B modernization of the nation’s unemployment insurance system, piloting the nation’s first workforce scorecard, and serving as the DOL’s designee to the National Space Council.

He is a Senior Fellow on Workforce at Northeastern University’s Burnes Center for Social Change and leading efforts on workforce ecosystems at the Burning Glass Institute.

Previously, Chike was founding leader of the Community College Growth Engine Fund, a national multimillion dollar effort supporting 41 community colleges training thousands for good jobs. Chike has also worked as an education policy official and teacher in America’s largest school system; Fulbright Scholar in Asia; director of corporate strategy and performance technologies at technology company Education Advisory Board (EAB); CEO of a national nonprofit which helped connect 500,000 low-income Americans in 48 states to affordable internet and digital skills; Harvard Carr Center Human Rights and Technology Fellow; member of the Council on Foreign Relations Taskforce on the Future of Work; and Director of Strategy and Future of Work Lead at the McChrystal Group, a business advisory firm founded by Gen. (ret.) Stanley McChrystal.

Chike holds degrees from Tufts University (B.A.), Harvard Graduate School of Education (Ed.M), Harvard Kennedy School of Government (MPA), and University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School (MBA). He is a life member at the Council on Foreign Relations, Presidential Leadership Scholar; 40 under 40 honoree from Wharton and Washington Business Journal; Wharton commencement speaker, and former member of the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Board.

Chike, his wife, and their two kids are proud Marylanders and Prince Georgians. Appointed by Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Chike serves on his home state’s Higher Education Commission. He is a member of 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County, advisory board member of the Prince George’s County focused philanthropy Pull-Up Fund which has deployed millions of dollars since 2020, and past appointee of the Prince George’s County Executive to the Commission on Fathers, Men and Boys. Chike and his family are members of Zion Church in Greenbelt, MD.